Based on his résumé so far, if we’re still buying the conventional definitions, the answer has to be we don’t know yet. He’s won games in big moments. He’s lost games in big moments. And because he missed the stretch run and playoffs last season because of a right foot Lisfranc injury, we simply haven’t seen him enough in the big settings to know.

When I think of clutch, I think of a quarterback who can be counted on to go out there and get that critical 3rd down and set up a score when the team needs it. Turnovers in the second half, particularly the fourth-quarter of a close game, are killers. At the very least, that is the unclutch of the NFL. Eli Manning comes to mind when I think of clutch. Statistically a decent regular season quarterback, but seemingly a man amongst men in the biggest games of his career at the most crucial times.

We haven’t seen Matt Schaub play a good team since week 6 in Baltimore last year. If you recall the Texans did not score a point in the fourth-quarter. PK quoted some stupid games if you ask me. What I recall most of Schaub and pondering the question of whether he is clutch or not is the 4th quarter of the Saints game last year. After the Texans defense did wonders in the first half by holding the Saints offensive machine to 10 points, they subsequently crumbled in the second half, particularly the fourth-quarter.

Or rather, did Drew Brees come up “clutch” in the second half? On the five drives New Orleans had in the fourth-quarter, the Saints produced three touchdowns, one punt, and one kneel-down to end the game. Meanwhile the Texans had four full drives in the fourth-quarter with one three-and-out, one three play drive ending in an interception, one touchdown, and a four play drive resulting in a game ending turnover on downs.

This is the drive chart of both teams in the 4th quarter, minus the Texans TD scored on the first play of the fourth-quarter. The Texans are white and the Saints are black.

I know Schaub has no direct control over how good or bad the Texans defense was, but he did give the defense a nine point lead to start the fourth-quarter (it was 26-17 when the Saints got their first offensive drive in the 4th quarter).

However, this is when I question Matt Schaub being clutch. The Texans just received the ball leading 26-24 with nine minutes left. Kubiak (or somebody) called three straight passes, with the third pass being a deep 3rd and 10 pass for Andre Johnson that was intercepted by a defender underneath of Johnson. Maybe somebody with nfl.com’s coachs film could tell me, but it appeared that Schaub didn’t see him?

I hate playing what-if’s, but even Walters touchdown bounce in the fourth-quarter should have been an interception. If the Saints turn the ball over just once in the fourth-quarter of that game, the Texans chances of winning that game increases dramatically. Unfortunately for Texans fans the Super Bowl MVP never faltered once (in the 4th).

Teams have their good days and their bad days. Drew Brees could not get it done Sunday against the Redskins. Does that make him less clutch or not clutch anymore? In the five drives that the Saints had in the fourth-quarter, the Saints produced one three-and-out, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. With 3:40 left in the game and the Saints down by 8, Brees throws an interception returned to the Saints 3 yard line and put the nail in the coffin. Does that take away from the fact that Brees was clutch in week 3 versus the Houston Texans? Hell, Eli Manning couldn’t come back against the Cowboys last week. And there’s certainly no Drive by Elway without Byner’s fumble. *end of rambling*

No team wins every game. Even quarterbacks who are constantly associated with clutch are not clutch sometimes. Are the quarterbacks coming back from behind because they were bad in the first half? Perhaps some quarterbacks seem to be more clutch than others simply because they are getting more chances at game-winning drives. Some however just seem destined to fail. Eli Manning's antithesis Tony Romo makes me cringe in the fourth-quarter. It always seems like Romo...Cowboys...find a way to lose a close game. However, Romo has the highest fourth-quarter passing rating among active quarterbacks. Statistics can be so clutch.

Is Schaub clutch to me? Should we even care? What if Schaubs not considered a clutch quarterback because he's so efficient at getting his team a halftime lead that there are rarely moments for him to shine in the fourth quarter. At the very moment in a fourth-quarter when Schaub is facing 3rd and long and the defense is blitzing, are you turning in your stomach or cheering with confidence? I still do not know if I believe in clutch. But then I see things in the NFL and I find myself saying, "Man, that was clutch!"

Remember when Schaub led the Texans back from a 21-point second half deficit against the Ravens two Decembers ago, only to throw a pick six in overtime. Was that clutch and then…not clutch?

The better question is "Does he grasp AND perform the Kubiak offense well enough to let the offense operate as it should?"

Yes.

Clutch? Too many intangibles to really factor if he is clutch or not, same goes for the other 31 starting QBs out there. A fluke play here, a bad bounce there, when does a QB's ability end??? He is one guy.

So for me, I just say that Matt Schaub earned an extension because he proved he could come back and play football on that foot of his AND he knows Kubiak's offense and performs it the way I think Kubiak expects him to.

Which is something TJ Yates and Case Keenum better start doing a better job at, IMO. If they want a future here a few years from now.

Clutch to me is like Brady or Manning and there is 2 minutes left and they need to drive the length of the field and score ... and you just know they are going to do it.

Matt has had his moments, but also made huge game ending mistakes.

Far as I am concerned he isnt right now, but now has a new contract and more time to establish himself as someone who can be. Better hope that he does ... when you start playing deep in the playoffs it could be the difference between advancing or going home.

I think Kuharsky is right that we just don't know. We've seen bits of both. Kubiak hasn't helped at times either with some of his late game playcalling. I like Schaub and I know we could do a heck of a lot worse. I just hope to hell he can stay healthy this season.

I don't think I'll ever be comfortable watching anyone QB the Texans in a late 4th Quarter drive to win a game, I'm scarred for life on that front from years of futility, and losing records based on countless games each year that we nearly won.

There's also a lot to be said for having someone with the patience to play to the gameplan throughout the game and set up the game so that in the 4th Q we either have a lead to protect or have plenty of confusing looks up our sleeve that will make the defense blow big plays. I see a lot of that in Schaub. I'd much rather have that than a Tebow-like ability to play like **** all game and come up with a few big plays at the end to snatch a win.

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Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the gowing down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

From the sample size we've seen so far...No. Good news from what we've seen as well he's not a choke artist either.

It's a role he's going to have to grow into this year, but good news is he's not in a situation where he has the shoulder the load alone. He's got a couple of play makers around him in AJ, Foster, Tate, and OD can come up big. Defensively...well last week really showcased what this defense can do in getting turnovers and giving the offense short fields.

Will say this Matt's arm looked much better than I have seen in the pat, not sure if it was the adrenaline of first time after the layoff or if its something we can come to expect.

In the PAST i have seen Schaub lead us down the field, tie or take the lead only so the defense can give up point of their own and give the other team the lead.

The stats dont say that he had already led the team down the field twice to take the lead only to lose it twice before finally throwing an INT. It only says the INT and forgets the (2 other game winning drives) haha

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"Oh, yes, and one more thing, dear Lord — about our enemies? Ignore their heathen prayers and help us blow those little bastards straight to hell. Amen again."

To me, clutch means you keep the chains moving. One way or another, you find a way to keep the chains moving. Last week, I saw a semi parapalegic Peyton Manning pick up 10 yards for a first down, to keep the chains moving. I mention this because I know I'm going to hear how athletic Schaub isn't, but it really doesn't matter. Gotta keep the chains moving & whatever it takes...... gotta be done.

Sometimes, that's on the receiver. He's got to catch the ball. But when you think about the guys Peyton has thrown the ball to, or Brady, or Eli, or Rogers....... they aren't always the most talented guys in the world. Sometimes, you know that receiver gave all he had to make sure he caught that ball.

Imo, they do that, because they know that QB did everything he could to get the ball to him & he don't want to let him down. It's a form of leadership if you will.

Is Matt Schaub clutch? Not no, but hell no. Can he be? Hell yes he can. How do I know? because he did it in 2009 & off & on through out his career. He needs to do it more often than not & right now, that's just not the case.

In the PAST i have seen Schaub lead us down the field, tie or take the lead only so the defense can give up point of their own and give the other team the lead.

The stats dont say that he had already led the team down the field twice to take the lead only to lose it twice before finally throwing an INT. It only says the INT and forgets the (2 other game winning drives) haha

Did you watch Alex Smith against the Saints last year? In the play-offs? That was clutch. Had they lost, & the ball was last in Alex Smith's hands, that's not clutch.

Did you watch Alex Smith against the Saints last year? In the play-offs? That was clutch. Had they lost, & the ball was last in Alex Smith's hands, that's not clutch.

There is more to a QB being clutch than just him. In 2010 there were 3 games i can think of where Schaub gave us the lead and the defense gave the lead right back. Only one the defense did stop was the Redskins. Watch that last play and throw to AJ, he was under pressure, threw on the move to a nice spot and AJ made the catch.

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"Oh, yes, and one more thing, dear Lord — about our enemies? Ignore their heathen prayers and help us blow those little bastards straight to hell. Amen again."

There is more to a QB being clutch than just him. In 2010 there were 3 games i can think of where Schaub gave us the lead and the defense gave the lead right back. Only one the defense did stop was the Redskins. Watch that last play and throw to AJ, he was under pressure, threw on the move to a nice spot and AJ made the catch.

The defense started the third Qtr of the Giants game that year with a 3 & out & back to back turnovers. The offense couldn't get a first down.

In the PAST i have seen Schaub lead us down the field, tie or take the lead only so the defense can give up point of their own and give the other team the lead.

The stats dont say that he had already led the team down the field twice to take the lead only to lose it twice before finally throwing an INT. It only says the INT and forgets the (2 other game winning drives) haha

This. There were PLENTY of games he led us down the field only to have our defense give up the lead. Im pretty sure we had 3 games in a row like this, I know for sure two, Colts and Jags I think back to back